This roasted butternut squash and pepper soup is perfect for Spring and Autumn. Easy to make, full of flavour and filling, it's ideal for chillier days.
Roasting the vegetables really brings out the flavour.
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I just can not get enough soup. I will eat it all year round, but for me it really comes into its own in the Autumn and Spring when the days get chillier.
This soup became a favourite of mine very quickly and I have now made it many times because it is
- Low Cal
- Filling
- Easy
- Cheap and Cheerful
- Freezer friendly
- Vegetarian
Did I say it is also delicious? Well, yes perhaps most importantly of all it is totally delicious! Roasting the vegetables really brings out the flavour.
If like me you can not get enough soups check out my recipe collection of over 30 soups with you, some were my own recipes and others from other bloggers – Souper Tips for Tasty Soups. There are lots of useful tips for making your soup extra tasty too.
Ingredients for broasted butternut and red pepper soup
Scroll down for quantities and full printable recipe at the bottom of this post.
- Butternut squash – I find butternut squash the most readily available squash but you can also substitute pumpkin or other winter squash. Unless you are actually hollowing out a pumpkin for Halloween ( in which case don't waste the flesh), I would avoid using the pumpkins sold for this purpose as they tend to have less flavour.
- Bell Peppers – Red peppers give the best colour and flavour to this soup. If I don't have 4 red peppers, I tend to throw in whatever coloured peppers I have, which often includes a green pepper although I would not use more than one green pepper.
- Onion
- Garlic – Feel free to add more or less depending on your prefernce
- Oil – I use extra virgin olive oil or cold pressed rapeseed oil
- Vegetable stock cube – I find these the most convenient but you can use a ready made stock in place of the water if you have some.
- Dried chilii flakes (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Method
It's based on a recipe in the 8 week blood sugar diet recipe book by Sarah Bailey Short Books 2016 which I have adapted slightly.
I have tweaked the ingredients and changed the method to make it easier.
First the vegetables are roasted this really brings out the flavours of the vegetables. I don't peel or cut up the squash into chunks until after I have roasted it, as it is so much easier to peel after cooking, although you do need to allow it to cool a bit first.
I also skip the step of peeling the peppers because its fiddly and the soup is more nutritious with the skins on as it adds fibre.
After roasting the vegetables are cooked in stock before puréeing.
How to purée the soup
My preferred method of puréeing this soup is to use a goblet blender. These produce the smoothest soups. , I used to use the one that sits on top of my Kenwood mixer. But now I have a Froothie blender which is by far the best blender I have ever had especially if you want super smooth soups.
If you use a stick blender in the pan, you will likely get bigger flecks of the pepper skin, which I don't mind. However, you may prefer to peel the peppers as in the original recipe after roasting if you don't like that. Pop in a bowl, cover and leave to stand until cool enough to handle. The skins will then slip off easily.
A food processor will give you results somewhere in between.
Cook's Tips
If you find the soup too thick for your liking you can thin it with a little more stock or water.
Step by Step Roasted Butternut Squash and Pepper Soup
Step 1 Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes.
Step 2 Peel and cut up squash. Place vegetables in a large saucepan.
Step 3 Add water, stock cube and chilli if using.
Step 4 Bring to the boil and simmer until tender.
Step 5 Purée in batches until smooth.
How long will the soup keep?
If you are not eating straight away or have left overs, cool the soup and keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup in a saucepan over a low heat stirring until piping hot
The soup freezes well, once cooled place in freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 3 months Defrost the soup and reheat as above
The importance of garnish on soups
I've said before that the garnish can be the making of a soup as we eat first with our eyes. For this soup I have suggested crumbled feta cheese, along with some pumpkin seeds and a drizzle of olive oil. I love adding cheese to soup and the saltiness of feta really compliments this soup.
But it doesn't have to be that elaborate, even just a sprinkling of herbs or a swirl of cream or yogurt can make all the difference. A little sprinkling of black pepper can also work wonders.
Roasted Butternut squash and pepper soup
Equipment
- baking sheet
- Large saucepan
- food processor, stick or goblet blender
Ingredients
- ½ large butternut squash cut into wedges
- 4 peppers seeded and cut into quarters
- 1 onion cut into wedges
- 2–4 cloves of garlic
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 vegetable stock cube
- ½ teaspoon dried chilii flakes (optional)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
To garnish (optional)
- a little feta cheese crumbled
- a few pumpkin seeds
- extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 190℃ (170℃ fan)/375°F/gas mark 5. Prepare the vegetables. Remove the seeds from half a large butternut squash and cut into wedges. Cut 4 peppers into quarters and discard the stem and seed, Peel one onion and 2-4 cloves of garlic and cut the onions into wedges.
- Place the prepared vegetables in a shallow roasting tin and drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes.
- Allow the vegetables to cool a little. when cool enough to handle, peel the peppers if desired, I didn't. Place in a large saucepan.
- Peel the squash, and cut into large chunks, add to the saucepan, along with the onion and garlic.
- Add 1 litre (2 pints/4¼cups) water to the pan and add one stock cube and ½ teaspoon chilli flakes, if using. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer the vegetables for about 20 minutes or until soft.
- Purée the soup (see the body of the post). Season to taste with salt and pepper and reheat gently if required. Serve garnished with some feta cheese, pumpkin seed and a swirl of olive oil
Notes
- Red peppers give the best colour and flavour but you can use green or yellow peppers. Do not use more than one green pepper.
- Peeling and cutting the squash after roasting is easier. Allow to cool first.
- For a finer soup, you can peel the peppers after roasting too but its fiddly and the soup is more nutritious with the skins on as it adds fibre.
- My preferred method of puréeing this soup is to use a goblet blender. These produce the smoothest soups. I used to use the one that sits on top of my Kenwood mixer. But now I have a Froothie blender (see post) which is by far the best blender I have ever had especially if you want super smooth soups
- Alternatively, you can use a stick blender or food processor.
- Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat the soup in a saucepan over a low heat stirring until piping hot.
- The soup freezes well, once cooled place in a freezer-proof container and freeze for up to 3 months Defrost the soup and reheat as above.
Yvette says
Loved this soup so easy to make especially as I didn’t peel the peepers and used diced butternut squash. Fantastic flavour.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thanks Yvette. I find peeling peppers a bit of a faff so agree its useful not having to bother.
Kim Moore says
I have just made this soup it smells amazing
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Kim I hope you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to rate and comment its always nice to recieve good feed back 🙂
Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog says
I love soup at this time of year and this one looks yummy. I especially like the idea of garnishing it with feta and pumpkin seeds!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
I love adding cheese to soup and feta often works really well.